The need for accurately cutting crystal wafers for use in the electronics industry has been documented for a long time since the quality of the finished crystal directly relates to and affects the performance of equipment associated therewith so that the problems associated with poorly formed wafers will not be belabored any further than is noted by the prior art comprising Group 1.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,308,703--McCain PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,326,319--Bailey PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,349,686--Waters PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,382,267--Ramsey PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,678--Kumada et al PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,297--Mech PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,384,756--Hambuechen PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,474,044--Knott et al PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,482,323--Sanders PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,553,227--Feyk et al PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,138,262--Urschel et al PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,197,699--Louthan PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,506,985--Arnt PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,807--Baumann
It is to be noted that these references provide cutting apparatus which can be characterized in that the wafers cut therefrom can effectively be considered to be produced one at a time since these mechanisms are silent on mass production type techniques for developing a plurality of wafers. Further, however, the machinery associated therewith not only provide a fewer number of finished quartz crystals than does the instant application, but also provide crystals which compared hereto have a higher defect rate and these machines are substantially more expensive to fabricate, more difficult to operate and less reliable in service.
The reference patents defined by Group 2 will now be discussed.
These references relate to the general art of cutting anything and while at least one of the references (Arnt) provides a structure somewhat more similar to the instant application, it is to be noted that the similarity is merely coincidental since not only are these machines not operating under the same tolerances and constraints as do cutting machines in the wafering industry, but in addition the present application can also be differentiated thereover not only structurally but functionally. It is one matter to cut celery along a line which is angulated relative to the grain of the celery stalk, and it is another matter to fabricate quartz wafers in which the external dimensions and the lattice structure (which is so important in being correctly oriented in the quartz industry) can be preserved and controlled.